Every Professor has a Fangirl
by SamCyberCat
Summary: On a visit to America, Luke and Layton meet a certain young girl who both knows who they are and has a connection to the Troupe Gramarye. Ace Attorney / Professor Layton crossover.


Notes – My first PW kinkmeme fill! Done for a prompt that wanted Trucy, a Layton fan, to meet Layton, a Gramarye fan. This isn't really set at any specific point in either timeline, since I thought it'd be getting off-topic to go into a lot of detail explaining it. Just assumes that Layton and Luke are aware of being video game characters in the Ace Attorney universe.

* * *

"No way… it can't be! Is that really you? I mean, there are a lot of cosplayers around at this time of year but no one has that exact same jaw line or those cute little eyes. You're Professor Layton, aren't you?"

"Professah, wot's a cosplaya'?" Luke asked.

Frowning, Layton replied, "I believe it's someone who dresses up a famous figure for fun, like this girl is dressed as the magician Thalassa Gramarye. And to answer your question, young lady, I am indeed Hershel Layton."

"This is unreal…" Trucy whispered in awe, taking in the top hat, the gentlemanly politeness, the little Cockney apprentice. This was the actual Professor Layton just like in all of the games. Then her sense of pride as a magician kicked in, so she added in a louder voice, "But I'm not dressed like Thalassa Gramarye. My name is Trucy Wright, and I'm her daughter. One day I'm going to be a great magician just like her."

"'Wright' where 'ave we 'eard that name before?" Luke wondered aloud, but the professor wasn't paying him attention at the moment.

"How surprising, to meet an actual Gramarye descendant on our visit to America," he said wistfully.

"I'm surprised you've even heard of them," Trucy answered.

"My word, yes. The Troupe Gramarye changed the face of modern magic. In this day and age so many tricks have been uncovered by the public but they always presented something new. I'll have you know that I spent many a night trying to work out some of the complexities behind their shows. And I even saw them live once before… well, before…" Layton trailed off awkwardly.

Waving her hand dismissively, Trucy said, "Don't worry about that. Uncle Valant is still working hard and one day I'll be joining him too. So there might be a new Troupe Gramarye before long. Or maybe a Troupe Wright, I haven't decided yet."

"It's wonderful to see that their tradition will be carried on," Layton said approvingly, "I know it's a little… spur of the moment, but do you perhaps have a trick you could demonstrate for us now?"

"A good magician never leave home empty handed." She winked, the added, "Though I'm afraid all that I have with me is this…"

She pulled the lever while they were distracted with her talking and Mr. Hat spun into life, grabbing the top hat from Trucy's head to place on his own.

"Hello there, young gentlemen, I am the amazing Mr. Hat," she had him say, in her best gruff voice.

"Cor blimey!" Luke had to stop himself from falling back, bursting into laughter at the sight of her puppet, "'ere, professah! That thing looks just like you."

"There is quite a likeness," Layton agreed, leaning forward with his hand on his chin to investigate further.

Trucy made Mr. Hat mimic the professor's movements, trying hard not to let her nerves at meeting one of her idols mess up the act. As Layton finished his inspection he pulled away and tipped his top hat, to which Mr. Hat responded in kind.

He then said, "I've never seen such a charming puppet in all of my years; it is an honour to have met you, amazing Mr. Hat."

"H-he's glad to have met you too," Trucy squeaked, "I, um, might have modelled him off you a bit. Well, mostly it was from my other daddy but I wanted Mr. Hat to look like a true gentleman, and there's no better gentleman than the great Professor Layton."

"Haha, well I think perhaps 'great' might be an exaggeration," said Layton, embarrassed. Sometimes he wished Luke hadn't coined that phrase in regards to him, it did rather heighten people's expectations.

Shaking her head, Trucy assured, "Not at all, you are great. So great in fact that… um, give me a moment…" She rummaged around in her bag, hoping that she had a piece of paper or something like that. But all she could find was that particular print out of her favourite fan art image she'd found on one of those Japanese fan websites. It was a bit inappropriate, but it was all that she had. Pulling it out she continued, "…Could you both sign this for me, please?"

Master and apprentice stared down at the picture dumbfounded. It was very well drawn, there was no denying that, but regardless it still showed Luke and Layton snuggling each other in a particularly close way, a little too close for comfort.

"Did you draw this?" Layton asked her.

"No, just printed it off the Internet," she said, not adding that she had many other pictures of them plastered all over her bedroom walls at home.

Nodding, Layton took the picture and said, "I had no idea that people considered Luke and I to be that close."

"Really? You can hardly spend two minutes on a Layton fan community without the relationship between the two of you coming up," Trucy chimed, leaving out that she was an active member of many communities dedicated to the romance between Layton and Luke.

"Professah…?" Luke started, looking up at him.

"Not now, Luke, I'll explain to you later," Layton said quickly, wondering how he'd gotten into this situation. "I can assure you there is nothing less than a healthy friendship between Luke and myself, so you have it from the horse's mouth. But nevertheless this picture is somewhat charming in its own way and I'll be glad to sign it for you."

He took out a pen, placing his signature just below the image of himself before passing it over to Luke to do the same.

As Luke finished signing, Trucy added, "Would it be all right to, um, have the Layton stamp on it as well? I don't know if you carry it with you but I really loved the way you always stamp the mysteries solved on the games."

Laughing politely, Layton admitted, "I do happen to have one stamp with me, so I'd be glad to do so." He took out the stamp decorated with a stylised view of his hat, along with an ink pad, stamping the corner of the image hard. "There you go - the Layton seal of approval."

She giggled a little too much for their liking.

"Of course by 'approval' I mean at being such a devoted fan, not of the… content of the image," he assured.

"Aww," she pretended to pout, "I'm glad that I got your autograph at any rate. This is going to be framed on the wall along with Prosecutor Gavin's. Anyway, I'm sure I've interrupted you enough for now."

"Nah, we didn't 'ave anythin' planned," Luke cut in.

"In that case…" She pulled out a flyer and offered it across to them, "Maybe if you're still free this afternoon you could come see my act at the Wonderbar. It's not the same as the old Gramarye magic but I'm trying hard and would love to hear feedback from someone who was a fan of them."

"Still am a fan," Layton informed, taking the flyer, "And we'd be glad to come see your performance. Nothing is more entertaining than trying to figure out the inner workings of a magic trick."

"Just don't stand up and point when you think you have the answer," Trucy teased, "I have to go prepare now, but I'll see you both tonight."

She bid them farewell, the two waving her off as she headed in the direction of the bar, making sure to remember to ask the owner nicely if he'd stock tea just for one night.

"What an energetic young lady, I'll be glad to see her performance later," Layton commented as she left.

Still frowning, Luke said, "That's great and all, but I still don't get wot she meant about people thinkin' things about us."

"Ah. Well. I'll tell you later," the professor muttered.

"You said that earlier!"

"When you're older, Luke. Much older."

"If you say so, professah…"

It might be something so top secret that Layton didn't think Luke would understand, but he wasn't the number one apprentice for no reason. A true gentleman always does his research, right?

As the two of them headed off to find this Wonderbar, Luke decided that he'd have to look for his answers on the Internet later.


End file.
